A refreshing change
Neil and I have just returned from Portugal, where we visited Comur’s fish canning shops in Lisbon, followed by a trip to Aveiro to see the packing plant and museum.
In a world where manufacturing and production is increasingly assessed with regards to efficiency and speed, it was refreshing to visit a company relying on a different business model, which places emphasis on the quality of the product first and foremost. Comur, predominantly sardine canners, relies on its produce to be deboned and packed by hand by local Portuguese women, some second and third generation Comur workers. The company believes that this skill needs to be done by hand to ensure quality and proper removal of the bones, and so the process has largely remained the same during the 75 years the company has been in operation.
It was certainly a fascinating look at to how a company has revolutionised its product through its marketing and the targeting of tourists with clever shop locations and branding. You can read the article in our next issue, including some excellent pictures of the factory, and of course sardines!
Elsewhere, we are delighted to announce Thongchai Oranrigsupak, vice chairman of Thai Metal Packaging Association, as a keynote speaker for this year’s Asia CanTech. Thongchai will be speaking about the history of the packaging association, providing a market report on the region and the latest developments in the marketplace. We look forward to welcoming him to the conference.
Next week I’ll be back with information on our October issue, a very special edition in the history of CanTech…
